A Very Traditional Conversation
by telosphilos
Summary: A very traditional conversation between two people. Hiei finally takes Kuwabara's plans to marry his sister seriously. A more serious look at potential implications.


"Kuwabara-san, come," Hiei demanded so politely for him, that he instantly gained the much taller man's attention. The small man lead the larger away from his home and from other ears. The tall psychic sensed no immediate danger from the little youkai, merely a sense of calm, but determined resolution. Curious Kuwabara followed quietly, neither trying for silence not attempting to be noisy or chatter. After a short hike into the woods of one of the parks, he found a small table with a sake set for two. Hiei merely sat down at one side and poured a serving for each of them.

"What's this about Hiei-san?" Kuwabara asked rather befuddled at the lack of open hostilities.

"We need to talk away from the others about Yukina-chan." Hiei stated simply.

"Alight, I know she is your twin sister and that you do not approve of my desire to marry her. What more is there to say?' Kuwabara sat with a sigh and took a small sip of his one cup of sake.

"I would not approve of any human attempting to court her," Hiei replied.

"So noted, " Kuwabara nodded. "Is there are reason for that?"

"Several" Hiei stated succinctly before explaining, "I would also disapprove of a large number of youkai as well. I do not believe you truly understand what you are asking for in trying to convince her to be your life mate."

"I see. Explain it to me. I know I will likely be dead of old age before she even approaches middle age. I know she is a demoness despite her apparent gentle nature, but I would like the chance to be with her while I live." Kuwabara stated with quiet dignity.

"I do not blame you for the desire, but the way you declaim it is undignified. It amuses her for some reason I cannot begin to fathom," Hiei responded in a gentle baritone.

"It is her innocence. She was given a true childhood and sheltered as children should be where you were not. You can be surprisingly alike at times," Kuwabara commented.

"Perhaps. That is also a large part of the problem with most of her would be suitors. They do not recognize that though she is innocent in most senses, she also has many of the same capacities I do. I am surprised you recognize it." Hiei raised a brow in curiosity.

"I didn't at first. I had yet to understand a lot of things. I always seemed to understand that youkai were people, but not that they were not human." Kuwabara explained and took another sip.

"Yukina and I are more then just youkai. We are Forbidden Children. Koorime are a few steps removed from other youkai" Hiei sighed. "Therein lay several problems for potential suitors."

"Hai." Kuwabara nodded to encourage the small youkai to continue.

"Among others, she will most likely never bare your children. Ice Maidens typically reproduce asexually. I doubt she has ever been taught how to trigger a pregnancy. On the Island city she would never have been permitted to due to our 'tainted' bloodlines. Hybrids of any sort are often infertile as well." Hiei calmly explained as clinically as he could.

"As tiny as Yukina-chan is, I have a hard time believing she could carry a pregnancy to term anyway," Kuwabara sighed. He had actually considered the idea of children and fertility with the mixing of such different bloodlines. As much as he would love a child, any child, Yukina could give him, he did not honestly expect it to ever happen.

"Trauma could also induce a pregnancy if she underwent a strong enough mental and spiritual shock; although, that is not widely know among or about Koorime," Hiei remarked.

"Duly noted. How do you know about it?" Kuwabara asked amazed at the level of seriousness and civility Hiei was showing him.

"Later. It is not something I would discuss sober," Hiei waved away the question and poured another round of the potent liquid. "The probability of children is low. Dos this not dissuade you from wanting her as your mate?"

"No. Humans can and do adopt children. Much as I would like to be a father, I have no wish to endanger her health. I can always dote on my sister or Yuuske's kids after all," Kuwabara replied in all seriousness.

"As you say, there is also a matter of your size. We are small, perhaps too small for the difference to be ignored in such matters." Hiei mercilessly pointed out shocking the other man.

"Ignored, no, definitely not. You are both short with very slight builds. The difference in size is not insurmountable, just know that I would never hurt her like that." Kuwabara responded with a very red blush.

Hiei merely nodded and poured himself another drink. With a small frown marring his otherwise delicate and pretty features, Hiei tried again. "I would happily kill you if you harm her in any way. I am attempting to dissuade you so that you won't through your ignorance. Koorime are not truly what outsiders are lead to believe."

"If I hurt her, I'd happily kill myself. How are Koorime not what they appear to be? You are being cryptic, Hiei-san," Kuwabara sighed.

"They are not truly maidens, or rather, they are not really female?" Hiei stated quietly, "I would never reveal that little fact were you less stubborn."

"Are you saying your sister is really your brother?" Kuwabara Kazuma looked both stunned and confused.

"No. Koorime are hermaphrodites that appear female, " Hiei explained quietly not even bothering to look at the other man. "They have to be to reproduce asexually."

"Oh, what's so bad about that? I mean, if she was really a he, we couldn't get married and that would be upsetting." Kuwabara took another sip in relief and poured another serving for himself.

"Is that all you care about?" Hiei asked incredulously.

"No. Marriage is our way of stating manogomy. It is important to us because it defines our family unit. If she says yes, then the two of us are defined as a family by human society whether or not we ever have children. She gains parents in law, a sister in law, and as many nieces and nephews as my sister may have. I just get a volatile brother in law and the most amazing woman I've ever met at my side. Our laws don't let you marry some one of the same sex." Kuwabara explained and wondered how the youkai could live so close to humans and never know this sort of thing. "I want to let other humans know she is take, unavailable for courtship, and all that. It is considered sacred to us."

"I'm not sure I understand, but I will think on it at length when I'm more sober." Hiei responded after a bit. "It really doesn't bother you beyond your ability to marry her?"

"What? Oh, the gender bending?" Kuwabara asked, "No, not particularly. You should read up more on human genetics and sexuality. Who the person is is more important than what they are. Some people prefer one gender over the others, some don't particularly care. For me, I just want one person to bind myself to. I can adapt to her. Gender related mutations are often studied among humans. I have one of my own and I thought Yuuske was the same before I learned about his mom." Kuwabara babbled. The drink was starting to hit him and was loosening his lips a bit.

"You seem like a male ningen to me." Hiei commented quirking a look of interest at the other man.

"I am male. They some times call it hypermasculenity. I have double 'y' syndrome." Kuwabara shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Hiei blinked owlishly.

"Every person has two chromosomes that determine gender. The female chromosome is the 'x' and everyone regardless of gender has at least one of those. A single 'y' chromosome is all that is needed to make a male. The men in my family on my father's side have the mutation, the extra 'y' chromosome. I guess if some one was to look at Yukina-chan's chromosomes, they would find an extra long 'x' or maybe a modified 'y' that looks like and 'x'. I'll have to get out my biology books to explain it. I can't remember all the details." Kuwabara babbled on oblivious to Hiei's confusion.

"So, you are saying you are a mutant and you thought Yuuske was as well. Why did you think Yuuske was?" Hiei inquired.

"His aggressive nature. Yuuske had a reputation for fighting and delinquent behavior well before we were friends. Men who are hyper male are more violent and aggressive then those that aren't. The largest population of men with the syndrome is found in the prison system. My family is one of the few that has a reputation for being honorable." Kuwabara explained before finally going back to his sake.

"That is why your code is so important to you, isn't it? It is your safety net." Hiei sounded almost enlightened.

"In a sense. Following the code helps keep us out of trouble with the powers that be. We have to channel our aggressiveness and violence in culturally approved ways. I had planned to join the military before I met you and got involved in Koenma's so called investigations." Kuwabara replied.

"So all our activities are an outlet for you. Koenma has the rest of us by the balls and you go along just for kicks." Hiei snarked, "What makes you think demons have the same chromosomes as humans."

"You probably don't have the same anything, but similar enough for crossing species to at least some degree or you and Yukina wouldn't be possible, nor would hanyous. I've never understood why they would send you off and keep her. Why not keep you both? Why keep only one?" Kuwabara asked almost rhetorically, not really expecting an answer.

"Embarrassment. I wasn't supposed to survive the fall, exposure or living on my own. I'm as close to a true male as a Forbidden Child can get, I can breed.Yukina is very close if not completely female. She would have to be taught how to cycle. The could prevent her from breeding, but they could never stop me." Hiei answered finally buzzed enough to be willing to say such things aloud.

Kuwabara snorted in acknowledgment of his point. "True. You could father as many children as you like."

"And bare them." Hiei whispered.

"Nani?" Kuwabara asked, "How is that possible. Your pelvis wouldn't alway a skull to pass through it."

"Cartilage and week bone joints." Hiei rejoined to the logical question, surprised the human was paying enough attention to have heard him.

"That would make for a pelvic fracture wouldn't it?" Kuwabara's eyes crossed as he winced in pain from the very thought.

"Two. One on either side of the pelvic girdle. Hurts like hell. Breaks the tail bone too." Hiei grimaced.

"You've actually done it, havent' you?" Kuwabara commented in shock.

"Hai, once, well technically twice." Hiei answered and took more sake to maintain his thoroughly drunken state.

"Twice?" Kuwabara's eyes widened comically.

"Twins." Hiei made a face at the other man's idiocy.

"Great Kami. Where are they now?" He knew he shouldn't ask, but he was too buzzed to hold back the question.

"The eastern edge of the Western Lands of the Mekai. Five miles in from the northwestern point of the Great Forest. Under the ancient Weeping Willow tree." Hiei answered with his face frozen in a silent rictus of pain.

"Why there?" Kuwabara whispered.

"No scavengers, looters, or thieves. It is a good place for a grave." Hiei's eyes closed against something only he could see. "Stillborn, I hate that word." He let two tears fall before wiping his face and regaining his self-control.

"I see," and for once Kuwabara really did see the incredible courage of his companion who was said not to fear death. Hiei didn't fear death, he knew it intimately in its many forms and refused to hide from it. "Have you ever been back?"

"No." Hiei shook his head.

"Who was the father?" Kuwabara murmmered and wondered if he would get an answer after having received such stunning revelations.

"Baka. There wasn't one." Hiei remarked snarkily.

"What was the shock or trauma then? Is this how you know about what can trigger a Koorime pregnancy?" Kuwabara sighed.

"Hai. I researched it after the fact. Stole the records and memories to find out how it was possible." Hiei answered. "The Jagan did not come without price." He whispered and fell back against a tree trunk, sound asleep.

Kuwabara took his pulse and checked his breathing to make sure Hiei was alright. The small youkai was passed out cold from too much sake. He wasn't showing signs of alcohol poisoning yet, but there was still a risk. Hiei had managed to out drink him, but he didn't have the body mass or the body fat to absorb the alcohol in his blood stream as easily as Kuwabara could. Kuwabara Kazuma would need some time to fully understand what the little youkai had said, until then, he would look after the man. For this night at least, that meant he would have to carry him home and would watch over him. Leaving the table and sake where they were, he lifted Hiei into his arms and walked them both to his home to sleep off the effects of the alcohol.

Hiei sat in a branch listening in on the tall human's conversation with the others. The rest of the Reiki team and their assorted women were attempting to interrogate the man.

"So really, what did you and Hiei do to come home completely wasted and reeking of sake?" Yuuske asked bluntly.

"Good grief guys. I don't see what you are all so wound up about. We just sat down in a quiet place, drank some sake and had a very traditional and remarkably civil conversation. That is all!" the gentle giant exclaimed.

"That can't be all. You and Hiei mix like oil and water." Keiko pointed out.

"More like oil and vinegar. I expect your father will be nicer to Yuuske when he finally gets off his ass and proposes to you, but there is really nothing to get so worked up about." Kuwabara rolled his eyes in exasperation. "He threatened to kill me in the most painful ways he could think of if I ever hurt Yukina and I volunteered to go find him to do just that if that ever happened." The big man just shrugged it off like it was nothing unexpected at all.

"Oh he gave you the 'you hurt my little sister' speech over some sake for a couple hours last night?" Kurmura looked rather surprised.

"Hai. I wondered when he would get around to it." Kuwabar just sighed again.

"I take it the death threat was a creative one to have taken that long." Yuuske looked impressed.

Kuwabara looked rather sheepish, just say he left most of the specifics to the imaginations, but it would be very slow and painful."

"Good." Yuuske laughed, Kumura chuckled, and Keiko broke out in a wide smile.

"Why are you all so happy about this?" Boton asked as she and Yukina just looked completely incredulous.

"The warning away of suitors by male friends or family members is traditional for humans. The threat is completely serious. It is a sign of high regard for the bride. A suitor willing to take the treat seriously and at face value gains greater respect and approval." Kumura explained for the confused women.

"Oh!" the women both looked enlightened and surprised.

Hiei listened to the lot of them babble for another hour or more and noted not once did the tall man actually reveal what they had discussed. It seemed his secrets were perhaps safe with him. Maybe he would not erase the memory from Kuwabara's head after all. Just once the man looked him in the eye and nodded. When Hiei lightly checked the man's mind, he could not find the memory. With a small smile Kuwabara just went back to helping the girls plan the wedding.


End file.
